Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The Dublin City Marathon

Good morning a resounding ouch to you all. As well as battered from yesterday's run I am hungover as a goat and I have a cold. Ah yes. I knew adding a bourbon and coke to the mix was a bad idea. Yesterday was terrific and I fear I have developed marathon fever, for despite the pain, I dribbled on to my oldest friend last night how much I was looking forward to next year. I was drunkish though, so it might have been the hooch talking. Certainly this morning I couldn't run from here to the kitchen and the outside of my right foot is so painful I can't put my full weight on it.Anyhoo, yesterday. I got up at the crack of 6:15, a mythical time of still darkness. I had a bowl of Ready Brek and juice while the paramour made me coffee, toast and rashers. Then I went back upstairs and proceeded to get into a flap as I lost one thing I'd previous had in my hand after another. I put down a pair of socks, only for them to disappear and then I couldn't find my running trousers, the same ones I had laid out the night before. Yes, that sort of a flap.Eventually we left the house and got into town too early. 7:20. I sat in the car wittering and worrying about needing to wee.Sitting about was making me twitchy so I kissed the paramour bye and made my way to Bewleys for said wee, and then over to the starting line up at Fitzwilliam Street. I was first one in my group, but after a while I was joined by two ladies from Dubai who were freezing in their tiny running shorts.

I got to stand around in the cold for another hour-shrinking my bladder further, so that by the time we began to run I was bursting again. I was amused to see so many black bin bags on folk, some customised and really surprised to see people tossing away their fleeces and gloves and what not. Astounded really. I had on a light running jacket and I tied that around my waist. The need to pee became a pressing issue and unlike the chaps, I can't do it against a wall. Fortunately a very nice hotel on Pearse Street didn't bar its doors and me and about twenty other women availed of its pristine bathroom, so much nicer than the portaloos. Lighter, I began to enjoy the run.I have to say, I have never seen Dublin so beautiful as yesterday. The autumn sun lit the leaves on North Circular road. The old red brick Georgian houses were never more lovely. The park looked like a movie set. It was really stunning and I spent the first half of the race taking it all in and feeling incredibly fortunate. And what a reception we got. There were people out everywhere clapping, cheering us on, handing out biscuits and jellies and sliced oranges, there were kids lining the roads with their hands out for high fives, there were home made signs and whistles and bells and clappers. It was terrific, (except for the man in the Celtic top wearing a devil mask on Parnell Square. He scared the shit out of everyone and it was funny to see the starling like swoop of runners as they crossed the road to avoid him)The second half was tougher, but easier in another way as I was on home turf. I stopped into a pharmacy in Rathgar to buy painkillers as for some annoying reason my hip was bothering me and I was fighting a cramp in my left calf. I gobbled two anadins, drank water, stretched the muscle out and cursed. But after another mile it was no better or worse so I resolved to ignore it.I had said all week long to any poor sod who would listen that the first eighteen miles would be the marathon and the last eight miles would be my Sunday run- this 'logic' is what I used to convince myself. But let me tell you, the last 8 was no Sunday run.At 22 miles I had pains and aches. My chest was beginning to get sore and I had chafing under my bicep. Also my hamstring was beginning to whistle at me now and then. People were starting to drop off and walk. I met a man who was bleeding badly from what looked like a shredded blister. I gave him a plaster from my fanny pack and wished him luck, but damn, his foot looked like minced meat and he still had another four miles to go. There is no gimmick to beat the wall, no trick or way around it. This is where your training comes in and any mental strength you may possess. You've got to dig deep and get on with it. So I did just that. I was muttering under my breath about how I didn't believe in walls and stuff, I also began to sing the mashed potato song to the tune of Falco. Rounding the corner onto Nassau Street was thrilling. Everyone was clapping and screaming us on. I came up behind a chap who was walking and for some reason I cannot fathom ( I'm not normally so forward) I tapped him on the back and said, 'Come on man, we're almost there. Let's finish how we started.' He nodded and forced himself off into a run and we ran down the last 300 Metres together. I believe I even whooped when I rounded the corner and saw the finish and when I crossed it I was grinning like a loon.The man and me exchanged names, shook hands and went off to collect our medals. We're bound by an identical time now and it's all a bit groovy. Then I met the paramour and we went for a pint. I wore my medal on the outside of my coat. Yes, I am that nerdy.

69 Comments:

Thank you missus. I looked out for you at the baggage area yesterday but didn't see you. I did ask some tall blond boy but he didn't seem to know you. And at that stage I was too knackered to try someone else.

Ah thank you very much. (Elvis voice)Docky2, if you get the opportunity and you stay injury free do it, it's brilliant. You could start training in March or April and be well up for it by October. Or later than that even, but the longer training suits me better. Honestly, it's just such a terrific buzz.

Well done you, it's a terrific achievement. I did a 20 mile fast walk for a charity event a couple of years ago, and about an hour after the end, my legs literally seized up - my boyfriend of the time had to carry me to the car - I was stiff and sore all over for several days. Your fitness must be phenomenal. You now deserve all the massages, etc. to ease any remaining aches and pains. Are you going to post a pic of you with your medal?

Thanks folks. I forgot to put in my post how impressed I was at the organisation of the event. The drinks stations were brilliantly efficent as were the ambulance crews and the baggage area and loos. To accommodate 11,000 people so superbly must have taken such an unbelievable amount of organising, but it really paid off in spades.

Thank you, it was a terrific experience. I won't be revealing my time because as stipes quite rightly points out to do so means I might as well print my full name here, and nobody wants that. And if Etheline every discovers I have a blog and she is mentioned in it quite regularly my life wouldn't be worth living. Death by chinese burn is a terrible way to go I'm told.

I feel like I deserve a beer and I've just got the end of your blog. Hey congratulations. I have so much respect for what you've done. It always seems a bit cruel to me though - you set a goal, you work your arse off months to achieve it, you're nearly there - and then -right at the end - there's a fucking great wall that you have to smash through in order to reach your goal. You deserve to be wearing a deep smile on your dial.

That Miss Queen, I'm pretty sure the adidas dublin Marathon site will put up a post when they are taking entries again. Are you thinking of taking part? It would be fun to do a cross ocean motivation for queens and fatcats.

Thank you LG, and don't worry about losing wight first, it comes off naturally with the training. I'll probably take it easy for a week or two as my right foot is a bit lame, but when I re sart training for next years marathon I might post a schedule so that more of us can participate and support each other.

FMC, big congratulations on your achievement. It's such dedication and great discipline (none of which I seem to have as far as running is concerned). :) I wrote one under the pre-marathon post, but I was a bit late to ask this before your day. I was at the first water station volunteering, handing water bottles out to runners who wanted some.Wearing the red jacket and the cap and all. I was trying to figure out if I could see you, but realized soon I don't even know what you look like at all. So it was a bit useless effort. Did you drink any water at the first water station??? :) Were you in the group of first athletes that started earlier?G

I was in the over 4 hour so in the paddy last group, I wore a beige visor and the green bib of the slower runners. My first station would have been before the park on the NCR. I actually ran past it a few steps and had to go back ( At the start of any run I'm inclined to run head down and not notice some thing until last moment).Fair play to you for manning the stations, they were terrifically organised. We probably passed! I would have said thank you.

Just came accross your site. a very bid congratulation and well done. i completed dublin in 2005/2006 and belfast in between and felt guilty this week for not participating, its a bug!! for any would be first timers i would suggest now is the time to think about it but january is the time for action, ie start training.who knows, we may all be on that line together in oct 2008. del

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About Me

I'm a bouncy, opinionated, messy haired marathon running (!) bibliophile. I wear high heels and have delightful ankles. I'm a devoted drinker. I want a French Bulldog puppy whom I shall call Batman and dress in capes on occasion.
I would also like a pug, whom I shall name Mister Woo. He can remain capeless, but I will make sure he wears a diamante collar at all times.
Both dogs will submit to repeated snorgling and high pitched squeals that only a dolphin would normally tolerate.
I hate Reiki/psychics/mystics/frauds with all my liver. Also, I'm firmly against Jazz and poetry/poems/pomes/ peoms or any of that stuff. I believe in the healing power of ginger.